Toy derrick



Patented Aug. 12, 1952 UNITED 'V-STIATES PATENT OFFICE Theodore M. Niemi, Quincy, Mass. Application February 2, 1950, Serial No. 141,932

This invention relates to a toy derrick.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved toy derrick which is simple in construction and operation and which may be economically manufactured.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy derrick of novel and improved construction adapted to impart to the derrick stability and to render it self-supporting, and which is charao-- terized by a novelvmast and boom structure capable of rotation through a complete revolution without obstruction by the supporting members therefor. I

With these general objects in view, and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the toy derrick, and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularlyde+ fined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. l is a perspective view of a toy derrick embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the novel mast and boom structure, some of the parts being broken away and shown in cross section; Fig. 3 is a detail view of a sheave shown in Fig. 2; and Figs. 4 and 5 are views in cross section taken onthe lines 4-4 and 5-5 respectively of Fig. 2.

In general, the presentinvention contemplates a toy derrick of novel and simple construction which is light in weight and easily transportable, is self-supporting on any substantially level surface without auxiliary anchoring means such as clamps or pivots, and which embodies a novel rotatably mounted mast having a boom pivotally supported on the mast and movable therewith as a unit, the mast and boom being capable of rotation through 360 degrees without obstruction by the supporting members. The major portion of the toy derrick may be conveniently and economically constructed of wood or other relatively light-weight material, and the upper end of the mast structure may be rotatably supported in a cap member retained in operative relation to the mast by guy ropes or chains arranged in a sufiiciently elevated position to form a relatively wide angle with the mast so as to clear the boom when the latter is rotated with the mast.

Referring now to the drawings, l6 represents a base member comprising a, central rectangular block having grooves I2 cut diagonally in the underside thereof to receive base arms l4 secured to the block by screws l6. The undersurfaces of the base arms are preferably flush 2 Claims. (01.212-58) with the undersurface of the block I0 and are arranged to extend a substantial distance outwardly from the block to provide a wide selfsupporting base structure.

As herein illustrated, a central mast 20 is rotatably supported between the block I0 and a metal cap member 22 maintained in operative relation'to the mast by four guy chains 24 connected between the cap member 22 and the upper ends "of angularextensions 26 attached to the outer ends of the base arms l4 by screws 28. The lower end of the mast 20 is provided with a pin 30 fast therein and arranged to rotate in a hole 32 formed in the base block I 0, and the upper end of the mast is provided with a similar pin 34 fast therein and arranged to rotatably extend through a central opening 36 formed in the cap member 22.

As herein shown, a boom 40 is pivotally mount ed at its lower end on a pin 42 supported between arms 44 of a U-shaped bracket 46 arranged to embrace the lower end of the mast 20 and secured thereto by wire brads 48 or otherwise. The outer end of the boom 40 is provided with a pair of'scr'ew eyes 50, 52 on opposite sides thereof, one of the screw eyes 50 having a chain '54 connected thereto, the other end of the chain being provided with a hook 55 for supporting the load, herein shown as a block 56 held by loops or bands 58 hung over the hook, as illustrated. The other screw eye 52 is connected by one end of a chain 66 which is arranged to run over a sheave or pulley 62 supported in an intermediate portion of the mast 20, the chain continuing down one side of the mast and being secured to a drum 64. The sheave 62 may and preferably will be supported in a slotted portion 64 of the mast and rotatably mounted on a pin 66 extended through and held fast in the mast. The drum 64 may be supported between arms 68 of a U-shaped bracket 10 secured adjacent the lower end of the mast as by brads 12. The drum is provided with a crank I4, one leg of which extends through and is tightly fitted in the drum and rotatably supported in the arms 68, the other leg of the crank providing a handle 16. As shown in Fig. 4, the drum 64 may be provided with a hole 18 through which one one end of the chain 66 may be extended and knotted to secure the chain to the drum.

From the above description it will be seen that in the operation of the derrick when a load is attached to the hook end of the boom, the latter may be rocked on its pivot to raise the load by rotating the crank 14 to Wind the chain 66 on the drum 64, and that the mast and boom with the load in a raised position may be bodily moved or rotated as a unit by slight manual pressure against the boom in the direction desired, the mast rotating on its pivot pins 30, 34 between the block I and cap member 22. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the guy chains 24 are supported in an elevated position by the provision of the upwardly and outwardly extended angle brackets 26, and the boom is preferably made of a length such as to clear the guy chains 24 when in a raised position thus providing a clearance space, indicated at 80, between the end of the boom and the guy chains so as to permit the mast and boom to swing freely through a complete revolution without obstruction by the guy chains.

Although the sizes and proportions of the various parts of the toy derrick may be varied, in practice it is preferred to arrange the base arms I4 diagonally relative to the base block in the form of a cross and to extend the arms outwardly from the block a distance substantially equal to the height of the mast so that the overall spread of the cross arms will be approximately twice the height of the mast thereby providing a wide base structure which cannot be easily tipped over in use, such as when a relatively heavy load is attached to the'boom. Also, in practice, the boom may be less in length than the mast, approximately in the ratio of four to five, and the lower ends of the guy chains 24 are preferably supported in an elevated position relative to the base arms so that the angle defined by the-chains and the mast will provide an unobstructed space for rotation of the boom through a complete revolution.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other formsrwithin the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: I

1. A toy derrick comprising a base member, a mast upstanding from and rotatably mounted on the base, and a boom pivotally carried by and rotatable with the mast, said base comprising a central block, and a-plurality of base arms extending a substantial distance outwardly from the block to form a self-supporting structure, a cap member arranged to rotatably support the upper end of the mast, a plurality of guymembers connecting the cap and the outer ends of said base arms for maintaining the cap in operative relation to said mast and to dispose the guymembers in a sufiiciently wide angular position relative to the mast to permit free swinging of the boom with the mast through a com plete revolution when the boom is in a lowered position perpendicular to the mast or in any position elevated therefrom without obstruction by said guy members, said base arms being provided with outwardly and upwardly extended angle brackets for supporting the lower ends of said guy members in'an elevated position to effect said relatively wide angular disposition of the guy members.

2; A toy derrick comprising a base member, a mast upstanding from and rotatably mounted on the base, and a boom pivotally carried by and rotatable with the mast, said base comprising a central block, and a plurality of base arms extending a substantial distance outwardly from the block to form a self-supporting structure, a cap member arranged to rotatably support the upper end of the mast, a plurality of guy members connecting the cap and the outerends of said base arms for maintaining the cap in operative relation to said mast and to dispose the guy members ina sufficiently wide angular position relative to the mast to permit free swinging of the boom with the mast through a complete revolution when the boom is in a lowered position perpendicular to the mast or in any position elevated therefrom without obstruction by said guy members, said base arms being provided with outwardly and upwardly extended angle brackets for supporting the lower ends of said guy members in an elevated position to efiect said relatively wide angular disposition. of the guy members, the outward extension of each base arm being substantially equal to the height of said mast, and the length of said boom being substantially in the ratio of four to five relative to the height of said mast.

THEODORE M. NIEMI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Ruland' Mar. '7, 1916 

